As our annual appeal letters are hitting mail boxes throughout our district, many of you may be wondering: “why playgrounds?” To be honest, we had to be convinced as well.
The district leadership sees an immense benefit to our students and the community from this particular initiative, which for years has been a pain point for parents and neighbors so we were open to listening and understanding why the district felt so committed to this initiative.
Here are a few of their reasons:
- The playgrounds at Stormonth and Bayside are not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible
- The playground equipment and surfaces are dated and deteriorating, which leads to safety concerns
- The current state of our playgrounds is misaligned with the academic excellence of our schools
- The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of outdoor spaces, and made it abundantly clear that now is the time to act on this initiative.
- As the district wants to get kids outside as much as possible this year and for years to come, the dilapidated nature of our playground spaces is a disservice and works against efforts to give kids a break from screens, masks, etc.
- While recess is obviously the primary use as a school playground, it is actually part of a broader vision as a community resource. Currently, there are no ADA-compliant playgrounds in Fox Point or Bayside.
- Having stimulating outdoor spaces promotes social intelligence, allows students to recharge between academic sessions, and encourages movement throughout the day for greater physical health.
- Having a playground that truly ALL can enjoy is a gift to every child because it teaches our kiddos about inclusion, acceptance, and equality with their peers whatever their abilities.
We hope you will join us in celebrating this initiative with a tax-deductible donation of any amount.
